Ot: Dolmar chainsaws????

I have always run Stihl saws, dad has a 1973 or 74 031AV, I have a ms460, 034,and a ms180. All been great saws. At the Exmark dealer the other day, I saw he sells Dolmar, and Johnsreds. Never heard of Dolmar, I picked up there catalog and they show a guy splitting wood with the saw?? I thought that was funny! Anybody own/ run a Dolmar saw? Just wondering if they are a pretty good saw ?

They are fairly good chainsaw. I would not put them in the class with a Stihl or the professional Husqvarna saws. Some claim they are better but I think they run a little slower. Plus there is no local dealer here anymore.

There was a guy around here that sold them for a lot of years but he got so hard to deal with as he got older that it left the brand kind of an orphan around here.

Dolmar saws have a very good reputation, but I've never owned one. I considered buying one a few years ago, but there's only one dealer around and he's about an hour drive away. Meanwhile there are 2 Husky dealers around and every JD dealership seems to be moonlighting as a Stihl dealer these days.

Now for my controversial statement: I've had a lot of Jonsered saws over the years and after Husqvarna took them over, the reliability has gone downhill. I've since switched over to Stihl. The only Jonsereds I still have are my 930s, but I can't get parts for them anymore, so I don't use them much.

Newer Stihls or Huskys/Jreds are by far the most common in professional saws, so if you want commonly available (affordable) parts, they're the best bet. Just type in the make and model of a saw you're looking at buying into eBay and pretend you're looking for a part.

a good sturdy saw, been around almost as long as Stihl but never had a good dealer network. Used to be known as Sachs-Dolmar.

I borrowed one from a coworker 20 years ago for a weekend and it ran like a race car compared to what I was using at the time.

When I finally replaced my Stihl climbing saw last year I almost bought the Dolmar, but it was pricey so I got the Echo instead. I think I made a mistake.

I had been buying Stihl for years, but that gas cap design of theirs is crap. My next saw purchase is going to be a big (for me) saw. I'm leaning towards Dolmar for that.

I've had a small (16") Dolmar for over 20 years. Has never given me a bit of trouble.......

Dolmar/Makita, or Dolkita as some call them now, is at excellent saw on par with Husky and Stihl. Anyplace that sells Makita can get you parts. I have 2 or 3 Sachs Dolmars and I prefer them over several of my Huskys and Stihls. My Dolmars ALWAYS start easily, something that cannot be said for my much newer Huskys.

If you have a good dealer, don't be a bit afraid of a Dolmar. They are pro grade through and through. They just don't make big saws.

My brother has one and he says it hangs right with the Husky and Stihl.

Bought my first Sachs Dolmar(120 super) in 1984. Ran it for 26 years and couldn't get the coil after they changed to just Dolmar. I bought a 7900 Dolmar when the 120 super gave out. If you can try a 7900 out you will see what it'll do and it's reliable also.

Bought my first Sachs Dolmar(120 super) in 1984. Ran it for 26 years and couldn't get the coil after they changed to just Dolmar. I bought a 7900 Dolmar when the 120 super gave out. If you can try a 7900 out you will see what it'll do and it's reliable also.

Get one! I suffered with Sthil for years. Finally gave it up and went with Dolmar. I traded the Stihl for a Dolmar and it is FIVE TIMES the saw the Stihl was. Easy to run, easy to start, easy to use.

I had Husky, too. Great saws but I needed something a little lighter after back surgery.

Don't know about Dolmar saws but I've owned a fews Stihl and wouldn't trade my Johnsreds for any Stihl.

Hey Jay
The Yankees Still alive!
I bought one 2 years ago
from Baileys can only say
no regrets.

I have one and love it. It starts easy and can idle all day long if you let it. When I bought mine I was worried about dealer support for it, so I went to the website and looked, I have a bunch of dealers within a 45 minute drive, and every part I could ever need is available online too. I have the 510, not a big saw, but it cut everything I"ve ever tried with it.

i've had two, top of the line saws in my opinion. keep my old one around for when i need extra horsepower. local jonsered dealer used to do competition sawing. he told me the only saw that could spank him was a dolmar.

The yanks are tied 1 game apiece with the Os! I was thinking of replacing my little ms180 with one of these Dolmar ps32 saws, the little saws are handy for small jobs, limbing ect.

> They just don't make big saws.

Actually Dolmar's saw rage goes all the way up to a 90cc (PS-9010) which is probably comparable to a Stihl MS660 or Husky 390XP/Jonsred CS2188. Pretty big in my book.

My apologies, I was thinking Makita which only go up to 55cc IIRC, or thereabouts. Yes, Dolmar makes big saws too. Oddly, Jonsered doesn't list anything big. THey used to have some big ones. Wonder what happened.

I replaced my big Stihls with Dolmars a few years ago. They are every bit as good (if not better) as Stihl and often cheaper. That is especially true if you buy the blue Dolmars that carry the Makita label. Makita owns Dolmar and markets them in red Dolmar and Blue Makita labels.

To be technical, Dolmar is an older saw company then Sthil. Andreas Sthil and Emil Lerp both worked together as salesmen at one time. Then they both went off and started their own companies. Lerp names his company after the mountain Mt.Dolmar. Stihl names his company after himself.

I still have as "users" a Stihl 031AV, 041AVE Super, and 045AVE Super. All good old rugged saws. In fact, I also still have an 030, 0440, 041G, 051, and an S10. I worked as a Stihl mechanic in 1969 - well before Stihl had a real USA presence. Good saws and a company that has gotten a little fat with with name-brand. High prices and short warrantys as compared to other pro-saws (or consumer) like Makita/Dolmar, EFCO, etc.

I replaced my 48 cc Stihl 031 (14.5 lbs.) with a Makita/Dolmar 51 cc saw. Big difference at 12.1 lbs. and more lugging power and chain speed. Makita DCS510 cost me $345 new with an 18" bar and two chains, free shipping and now tax in NY.

I replaced my 87 cc Stihl 045AV Super (17 lbs.) with a Makita/Dolmar 64 cc saw and the Dolmar outcuts the Stihl and is lighter at 13.6 lbs. It also has a compression release which the Stihl always needed but never had.

Shortly befoer I bought the 64 cc Dolmar, I went to a Stihl dealer to see what they had. I had to since Sthil does not allow prices posted on-line. I asked for a rugged equivalent to my 045 Super and they showed a saw for near $900!!
So, I left, went home and ordered a new Dolmar/Makita DCS6410 64 cc saw for $540 shipped to my door with no NY tax. And that was with 20" bar and two chains.

Note also that the DCS6410 is a very popular "base saw" for pros in Europe. It's sold in the use sort of "down-sized" with a smaller jug and piston. So, it can easily be upgraded to more ccs if wanted. Personally, I cannot imagine ever wanting more. I've had a 30" bar on mine and it has all the power it needs.

By the way, EFCO also makes a great pro-saw that is way ahead of anything Stihl sells in it's size-range. Deere was sellig them for a few years. It's another pro European saw. I bought a bunch of new EFCOs with John Deere labels right after Deere dropped them. CS56 models. Absolutely fantastic saws and very rugged.

Makita owns Dolmar and certainly sells saws bigger then 55 ccs. I have a Makita DCS6401 that is 64 ccs.

I said "or thereabouts". Don't get in a snit over it.

FWIW Makitas largest saw listed for US sale is your 64CC. Their largest Dolmar is 90CC.

BTW, Pat Sisti in Injun Lake just died. THought you might have known him.